Around-the-World Roundup: 'Despicable Me' Finally Rules the World

by Ray Subers

Despicable Me

October 20, 2010

Over three months after its initial release, Despicable Me finally took the top spot at the foreign box office this weekend. Last weekend's champ, Eat Pray Love, slowed a bit, while The Social Network had a decent showing in its first major international outing.

Despicable Me was up 52 percent to $27 million at 4,751 theaters in 40 territories. It opened in first place in the United Kingdom ($5.85 million) and the Netherlands ($1 million), and had a strong second place start in Italy ($4.98 million). Its overseas total grew to $170.2 million, and it has pushed past the $400 million mark worldwide (domestic plus foreign).

With its biggest launch of the weekend coming from Indonesia ($694,113), Eat Pray Love dipped 26 percent to $13.5 million from 68 territories. Since opening in August, the Julia Roberts drama has earned $86.8 million overseas for a worldwide total in excess of $167 million.

The Social Network expanded to earn $13 million on 1,767 screens in 18 territories, which was solid but perhaps not quite on par with Facebook's global status. It opened in second place in the U.K. ($4 million), France ($3.5 million) and Spain ($1.8 million). In two weeks, the David Fincher-Aaron Sorkin drama has earned $17.5 million.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole added an estimated $9.5 million from 46 markets to bring its overseas total to $41.6 million. Its only major debut was a weak $1.1 million in Germany. The Owls are set to reach audiences in the U.K. and Spain this weekend.

Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora E Outro (Elite Squad 2) eased just eight percent to $7.25 million in its second weekend in its native Brazil. With a $23.6 million ten-day total, it's already more than doubled its predecessor's $11.4 million.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps sold $7.2 million worth of tickets in 60 territories, which included a $2.24 million start in China. The Oliver Stone-directed sequel has made $49 million overseas thus far. Distributor 20th Century Fox also announced that their international division has made over $2.5 billion this year, passing their previous best $2.45 billion total from last year. Over half of these earnings came from Avatar, while other movies like Knight & Day ($171.3 million) Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief ($137.7 million) and The A-Team ($99.5 million) provided decent support.

Luc Besson's Arthur et la guerre des deux mondes, the third movie in his Arthur series, debuted to $6.4 million in three territories, $6.3 million of which came from its first place opening in France. This was way off from previous entries Arthur and the Invisibles ($11.1 million) and Arthur et la vengeance de Maltazard ($10.8 million), indicating that French audiences may be growing tired of the series.

The Town claimed another $6 million thanks in part to a $2 million opening in Australia. Its $26.6 million foreign total pushed its worldwide figure past the $100 million mark.